Philosophy Midterm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy Midterm - Essay Example Deductive reasoning? (a) A deductive argument will claim to support the truth of the conclusion. It takes general facts and uses them to make specific claims. An inductive argument will use reasoning gathered from particular facts to come to the conclusion. (q) What is epistemology? (a) It is the study of the nature of knowledge. It is concerned with how knowledge is acquired and how it is justified. (q) What is Descartes’ cogito argument? (a) Cogito ergo sum—I think therefore I am. The cogito states because we think, we know that we exist, and that is the one thing that we are unable to doubt. (q) Purpose of evil demon? (a) The evil demon as a thought experiment is used to get to the cogito. Because we cannot prove that some evil demon exists that is tricking us into making us think that reality is in some way different than how it actually is, we do no know whether anything beyond ourselves or beyond our minds is actually true. (q) a prioro vs. a posteriori? (a) These are two different ways in which to justify claims. A priori uses reasoning and logical evidence , and a posteriori uses experience and empirical evidence. (q) Paley’s watchmaker argument? (a) Paley’s watchmaker argument is an argument for the proof of the existence of God from design. If we see something such as a watch, which has many intricate parts and which has obviously been designed, then we should be able to identify other objects which have also been designed. Paley states the human eye has many intricate parts that fit together and therefore should be considered to be designed, thus requiring a God-figure to serve as the designer of the eye. (q) Cosmological proof of God’s existence? (a) This argument states that there needed to be an original cause, that matter cannot create itself, that energy cannot create itself, and that there necessarily needs to be an original cause, an original